Vehicle-wheel.



- 1. ARHODUSl VEHI EEEEEEE L.

APP`L|CAT|0N FILED FEB. 15| 1915- 4 l 1,159,092. I Patented NOV. 2,1915.

l Y 4 EEEEEEEEEEEE 2- T. RHODUS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. I5.\I9I5.

1,1 59,092. Patented Nov. 2', 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. RHODUS.

CLE WHE APPLICA l0 FILED FE .1915- Ilm i,

THOMAS RHODU'S,` 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

specificati@ of Letteisraten't. y

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application lediFebruary 15,1915. Serial No. 8,193.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RrroDUs, aj

citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newv anduseful Improvements in Vehicle- Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

AThis invention relates -to that type of resilient rim wheels in whichthe tread of the wheel is of a flexible nature and yieldingly held inconcentric relation to the axis v of the wheel by a circular plate metalspring or springs that are in turn connected at intervals in their`peripheries to the hub or center of the wheel, examples of whichareshown in my prior Patent' No. 1,025,483, of May 7, 1912, and my priorapplicationfor Letters Patent Serial No. 748,609, filed February .15,1913. And the present improvement has for its objects: First to providea structural` formation and association of parts in the. above mentionedtype of wheels, in which the connecting means between the spring memberof the tread and the wheel center is formed in such a way that certainportions ofsaid spring member have constant holding engagement withcertain portions of the connecting means, and that other portions ofsaid spring member are normally removed from holding engagement withother portions of the connecting means and disposed a distance therefromso as to come only into holding engagement therewith with the additionof -a predetermined load upon the wheel andeifect greater'stiifness insaid spring member. Second, to pro-Vy vide a simple and durableformation and combination of partsby means Vof which the pairof circularspring members` of the above described-type of wheels are connected tothe wheel centerj at intervals inthe circumference of the spring membersin a strong ture'formin thesubject matter of my prior appllcatlon er.No. 748,609, aforesaid. Fig.

4 -is a detail perspective view of the same. j

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating the improvementas applied to the wheel structure formingY the subject matter of myprior'Pa'tentNo. 1,025,483, aforesaid.

Figs. 6 and 7, are enlarged detail sections of the same onl lines v-mand 'xL-', respectively, Flg. 5. Fig. 8, is an elevation, partly insection, of a modifiedl form of the structureshown in Fig.v 5. Figs. 9and 10, are enlarged detail sections on lines aad-m2 andw3-3,'respectivelyFig. 8.v v j 5 Similar reference numerals indicatelike parts in the several view s.

'Referring to the drawings 1 represents the outer flexible annularmember .of the present wheel structure, comprising lin detail, an innercircular spring or springs 2 vof a flat band form, and a flexible' tread3 operatively associated with said Aspring or springs. flexible tread V3is formed in any usual and suitable manner, preferably by a kcircularseries of sector shaped blocks 3f the abutting endsor faces of which arechamfered in any usual manner to admit of an independent rockingmovementof one block with relation to the adjoining I blocks asl thetread is changed in actual service from its normal circular formjin ianunloaded state, and as set forth in detail'in application Ser. No.

- 748,609, aforesaid.

In the 'construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a 'plurality ofapproximately vcounterpart plate metal springs2, .arranged in spacedrelation are disposed in grooves or krecesses 4 inthe opposite faces ofthe blocks 3 and maintain said blocks in vproper position. The scope ofthe present improvement however involves a' construction in which asingle circular'plate metal spring 2 has bearing upon the inner circularsurface of the flexible tread 3, asfdescribed vinjmy prior Patent No.1,025,483, and lillustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, of thepresent drawings.

5 designates the inner or central member of the wheel structure, formedlfor bearing engagement with the axle or like part of the vehicle, andhaving any usual detail con- The struction adapted to aord lightness andstrength. Said inner member may comprise a central hub 6, and a seriesof radial spokes 7, as shown in Figs. 1, and 3 of the drawings, or saidinner member may comprise a central hub 6', a series of radial spokes 7and a marginal rim or felly 8, as illustrated in Fig. 5, of thedrawings. ln the first instance the radial spokes 7 have directoperative Yengagement with the circular plate metal springs 2, by meansof laterally extending stop or abutment members 9 carried by said spokesand having bearing upon the peripheries of said springs, 1n the secondinstance, the marginal rim or felly 8 has direct operative engagementwith the circular plate metal spring 2 by means of laterally'extendingstop or abutment members 9, similarto the abutments 9 just described,and carried in any usual manner by said rim or felly 8, and as shown inFigs. 5, 6 and 7 by a pair of annular side plates l0, fixedly secured tosaid rim or felly 8. The plates 10, as so arranged afford in addition,means to prevent lateral ldisplacement of the flexible outer member 1 inthe assembled structure.

The first part ofthe present invention embraces a structure in whicheach alternate stop or abutment 9 isdisposed at a greater distancel fromthe axis of rotation of the wheel, than that at which Yeach nextadjacent stop or abutment 9 is disposed, thus providing a concentricinner series 9 and an outer concentric series 9 of the stop lugs orabutments 9, aforesaid. With the described arrangement, in a normalcondition of the lwheel parts and under ordinary load stress the outerseries 9 will not contact upon the periphery of the circular spring orsprings 2, while the inner concentric series 9 will have constantcontact against said spring or springs 2, and any local distortion vorflexure of said spring or springs will take place between the adjacentpair of the inner series 9 of the lugs or abutments 9, with alcomparatively 4large extent of the spring or springs involved and acorresponding degree of resiliency. `With an excessive increase invthe'load on the wheel the flexed portions of the spring or springs arebrought into active bearing or abutment against adjacent ones of theouter series 9 of the lugs or abutments 9, with a corresponding decreasein the extent and increase in the stiffness of the flexed portions ofthe spring or springs'2.

While the regular alternation of the series 9 and 9 of lugs or abutments9, shown in the drawings is preferred for ordinary and general use,special uses of the wheel may indicate an irregular alternation of saidseries 9 and 9 of the lugs and the scope'of the present inventionembraces said irregular alternation, and in which a greater or a lessnumber of the lugs may be used in the inner concentric series 9 than ismade use of in the outer concentric series 9 of `lugs or abutments 9,aforesaid. While in most applications of the present invention, theseries 9 and 9 of abutment members or lugs 9, will consist ofunconnected lateral lugs or ears on the parts as illustrated in Figs. 1to 7 inclusive, it is within the scope of this part of the presentinvention to form the side plates 10 of the wheel structure illustratedin Figs. 5, 6 and 7, with marginal inturned webs or flanges 11, formingconnections between theseries of stops or abutments 9, to reinforce orstrengthen the same as illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

rlhe second part of the present improvement involves a detail structuralformation and arrangement of the abutment lugs, illustrated in Figs. 1and 2, as follows: rlhe main portion of the spokes 7 are preferablyformed of bars of spring metal which admit of flatwise flexure and forthe functions hereinafter stated. The outer ends of said main portionsof the spokes 7 are in spaced relation to the inner faces of the springmembers`2, to provide open spaces between the parts and so that-onlyafter a predeter-- mined inward 'deflection of the adjacent portions ofthe spring members 2, will said depressed portions of thespring memberscontact with the outer ends of adjacent spokes. A ny additional inwarddepression of the sprino members will then be met with by the resiliencyof said main portions of the spokes 7, as an additionto the resiliencyof said spring members. j

7 designate 'l' shaped extensions or intermediate connecting memberscarried on the outer ends of the spokes 7 with their central shankportions disposed between the pair of circular spring members 2, andwith their transverse head flanges 9 bearing upon the peripheries ofsaid springs, as shown in Figs. l and 2. As so arranged the head flanges9 provide a circumferentially spaced series of holding abutments for thecircular spring members 2, to maintain said spring members and thesectional 'tread member 3 carried thereby7 normally in concentricrelation to the axis of the vehicle wheel.

By the arrangement of said head flanges 9 in the spaces betweencontiguous tread blocks 3 'as shown, any tendency on the part of theseries of tread-blocks to creep, is effectively prevented.

The tendency of the spring members 2 to move laterally out of the siderecesses 4l of the flexible tread member 3 may be prevented by any usualand suitable means, such as a series of elongated sectional links l1,disposed transversely in spaces between pairs of adjacent tread blocks 3and embracing the pair of spring members 2, as shown in Figs. l and 2. i

I-Iaving thus fully described my said invention, What I claim as nevvanddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle Wheel, a Wheel center, a spring member surrounding saidWheel center, a flexible tread member surrounding said spring member,connecting means between the vvheel center and the spring member havingabutments differing in distance from the Wheel axis. v 2. In a vehicleWheel, the combination of an inner member carrying a plurality ofcircular series of stop lugs or ears, With each series differing indistance from the Wheel axis., and an outer member comprising an annularflexible tread and a ring shape metal spring associated With said tread,the spring havingconstant peripheral abutment against the innermost stoplugs and adapted to have intermittent abutment against the outermoststop lugs, substantially as set forth.v y

3. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination of an inner member carrying aplurality of circular series of stop lugs or ears, With each outermoststop lugs, substantially as set forth.

4. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination of an inner member, a pluralityof series of radially disposed connecting members carried by said innermember, with each series differing in radial length, a sectional treadmember formed With grooves in its opposite sides, and ring shape metalsprings disposed 1n the grooves of the tread member With theirlperipheries adapted for operative engagement With the outer portions ofthe connecting members aforesaid substantiallyas set forth.

5. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination of a hub, a series of spokes, aplurality of series of radially disposed connecting members carried onthe outer ends vof said spokes, with each series differing in radiallength, a sectional tread member formed with grooves in its oppositesides, plate metal springs of an annular form disposed in the grooves ofthe tread member with their peripheries adapted for abutting engagementWith the outer portions of the aforesaid connecting members,substantially as set forth.

6. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination of an inner member, a pluralityof series' of radially disposed rT shaped connecting members carried bysaid inner member, With each series differing in radial length, asectional ltread member formed With grooves in its,v opposite sides,ring .shape metal springs disposed in the grooves of the tread memberwith their peripheries adaptedfor abutting engagement with thetransverse extensions i of the aforesaid connecting members,sub

stantially asset forth.

7. In a vehicle Wheel, the combination of a hub, a series of spokes,a'plurality of series of radially disposed T shaped connecting memberscarried by said innermember, With each series differing in radiallength, a sectional tread member formed With grooves in its oppositesides, ring shape metal springs disposed in the grooves of the treadmember With their peripheries adapted for abutting engagement with thetransverse extensions of the aforesaid connecting members, substantiallyas set forth. l

8. n' In a Wheel, the combination of a Whee center, a series of radiallydisposed T shaped connecting members carried by said Wheel center, asectional tread member formed With grooves in its opposite sides, andring shape metal springs disposedV inthe side grooves of the treadmember with their peripheries abutting against the transverse extensionsof the connecting members aforesaid, substantially as set forth. K

9. In a Wheel, the combination of a hub,fa series of spokes, a seriesvofradially disposed connecting members carried on they outer ends of saidspokes, a sectional tread member formed With grooves in its oppositesides, and ring shape metal springs disposed in the sidegrooves of thetread member with their peripheries having operative engagement With theouter portions of the connecting members aforesaid, `the outer ends kofthe spokes, having spaced relation to the inner surface of the springsand adapted to limit the invvard flexure of the same,v substantially asset forth. p

10. In a Wheel, the combination of va hub, a series of spokes, a seriesof radially disposed T shaped connecting members carried said Wheelcenter, a sectional tread member said spring members andA each sectionof le formed With grooves in its opposite sides, said tread member inWorking relation, subring shape metal springs disposed in the sidestantially as set forth.

grooves of the tread member, the stem of the Signed at Chicago,Illinois, this 13th day connecting members passing between the ofFebruary, 1915.

said spring members and With the periph- THOMAS RHODUS. elies of saidspring members abutting Witnesses:

against the transverse extensions of the said ROBERT BURNS,

Connecting members, and means for holding IVA L. CRANE.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. o.

